BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - In future, particularly heavy parcels will only be allowed to be delivered by two delivery staff. The Federal Cabinet in Berlin approved a corresponding legislative proposal, according to which one-person delivery is only permitted up to a weight limit of 23 kilograms. In the 20 to 23 kilogram range, one-person delivery is permitted, but a suitable technical aid is to be provided.

Especially in the run-up to Christmas, the volume of parcels and thus the physical strain on many thousands of delivery staff increases significantly, said Franziska Brantner, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics and leader of the Green Party. "With the proposed legislation that has now been passed, we are sending out a signal to protect the health of employees in the parcel sector."

Majority in the Bundestag questionable

However, the regulation still requires the approval of the Bundestag

- Whether the current red-green minority government will get this is

is questionable. The FDP, the former coalition partner, has announced that it will not agree to the change in the law. "There are certainly suitable technical aids that make one-person delivery reasonable even for heavy parcels, such as an electric hand truck for stairs," said Reinhard Houben, economic policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group.

Verdi welcomed the federal government's initiative. Delivering parcels is hard work, said Verdi Vice President Andrea Kocsis. "Politicians are called upon to ensure that this is not at the expense of the health of those who sort the parcels and deliver them to households and businesses." A real weight limit for parcels in one-person deliveries is essential for this.

Different reactions from the parcel industry

The postal group DHL, which only delivers relatively few particularly heavy parcels, also reacted positively, but also called for controls. "Compliance with the law by all market participants should be closely monitored by the supervisory authorities so that the law actually benefits all employees in the industry."

However, the industry association BPEX, which represents DHL's competitors, was critical. An obligation for two-person deliveries of 23 kilograms or more would lead to cost increases and impair the efficiency and speed of parcel logistics. The use of sack trucks and lifting aids had proved successful and such approaches could be developed further. The health and safety of all employees is of central importance for parcel services, the association emphasized./wdw/DP/jha